Stopper for ampoules and the like



April 14, 1959 c. B. ROBERTS 4 STOPPER FOR'AMPOULES AND THE LIKE Filed June 4, 1954 INVENTOR United States Patent fSTOPPER'FOR AMPOULES 'AND THE LIKE CharlesBuford-Roberts, Sparta, Tenn.

.Aplilicationlune 4, :1954, Serial No. 434,463

118 Claims. ((31.2.15-76) I116 invention relates "to a ,closurefor containers and -g-more particularly for ampoules intended :to contain pharmaeeuticalpr parations, especially in the liquid state. j.It..is ;t.b.e .usual practice to package pharmaceutical preparations intended for hypodermic injection in am- ,poules closed by 'a rubber stopper or diaphragm which .is pierced by v.theEhypojdermic,needle when allorga part goffqthe contents .are to be administered. .1 have found thatthereare. dften. undesirable reactions, not attributable $10 the contents of theampoules, .when pharmaceuticals :.so ;,paekaged,.are injected hypodermically into the patient. Close examination shows that the hypodermic needle, .in ,piercing the .rubber diaphragm, often tears or -cuts off gtiny particlesof.rubber which enter the solution or sus- ;pension .withintheampouleand may thenbe drawn into sthe syringeiand administered .to-the patient along with 11118 intended :medicine. 'Rubber is such afforeign subzitsance that .it can .cause considerable discomfort and medial-. disturban,c.e ,of the system.

The primary ,objectcf the inventionis to provide an xarrangementwhichavoidsthe disadvantages of the prior @2311.

:LAnotherobject of .the invention 'is to provide an argrangementwhichis normally tightly sealed, but which .aian-gbe manipulated .so that ffluidcan be withdrawnjfrom ,the. .interior of .an ampoule without .the necessity of gpiercinga piece ,of rubber.

Still, another'object ,of the invention is to .provide such an arrangement in which the opening through which the ligllidwis ,withdrawn. can be again .tightlyclosed after the swithdrawalhso as.,to prevent contamination lof the ma- ;terialremaining in .the ampoule.

I ,aAifurther objectoi -the invention is to .provide .aselfclosing arrangement vfor such a bottle in .combination -With.-,a;manually closable sealing arrangement, so that 2"1h6=.311}PO1116 ;is .closed except when material is actually iyheing withdrawn therefrom and. can thereafter .be hernneticallyisealed.

The structure shown herin is an improvement ,on that ';shown rinamy application Serial ,No. 424,201, Stopper for .Arnpoules and the Like, ,filed April '19, 1954, now :PatenLNo. 2,797,831, granted July .2, 1957.

.iFurtherobjectsnand advantages of the invention will appear more fully from.the :followingdescription especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which f01'm :a :part thereof.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 shows partly in vertical cross-section an ampoule gprovided with a stopper embodying one form of my invention;

'Fig. 2-isacross-section-on theline 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a -view similarto Fig. 2 with the "opening closed; 1

Fig. 4 is a top plan-view otFig. -1;

,Fig. 5 is a cross-section .on an enlarged scale .of the =1QntTl fP0rti0n of the stopper showing the parts-tin closed position; :and

the hypodermic syringe is withdrawn.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts in the position occupied when the needle is being withdrawn.

In the device as shown, there is a glass ampoule or other container 2 having a neck 4 provided with "an outward flange 6. Seatedwithin the neck is a stopper of rubber or other resilient material formed of two'parts 8, 10 suitably secured together as by vulcanizing, but holding between them a metal disc 12 having a central opening therethrough. This central opening aligns with a normally openhole 14 in the upper rubber part 10. Secured in the opening of the disc 12 and extending downwardly through the lower part 8 of the stopper is a metal tube 16 having near its lower end, and outside of the body 8, lateral openings'18.

A metal stem 20 runs upwardly through tube 16 and has at its upper end an enlarged head 22 forming a valve large enough to overlie the upper end of tube'16,

but smaller than the cross-section of hole 14. Stem .20 hassecured on its lower end a flange 24, and'between this flange 24 and the lower end of tube 16 is a resilient member such as a body 26 of soft elastic rubber.

Embedded in the stopper formed by the two parts 8, 10 is a rigid member 28 which may be of metal,plastic orthe like. One end of this member is located close to, butout of contact with, the hole 14. The .other end extends beyond the member '8, opposite the inner'wall of the flange 6 of the bottle neck. This inner wall .is of cam shape, having depressions '30 closer to the'axis of the hole 14 and other depressions 32Vmore remote-from this axis.

A metal cap or band 38 surrounds the stopper 8, '10 an'dthe flange 6, thus holdingthestopperinthe bottle. The outer edge of the portion 10 is preferably adhesively secured to this strip as by welding.

With such an arrangement, the hole 14 can be opened or closed in the manner generally described in my .prior application referred to above. Whenthe parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6, the hole 14lis open. In this condition, the tip 34 of 'a hypodermic syringe (that is, the portion on which the needle is mounted) can be inserted partly intofrhe hole .14 (because of the resiliency of the rubber ofstopper portion 10). The ampoule is then inverted, and the plunger of This creates a suction in the hole 14 which will draw the valvehead 22 downward against the resilient action of rubber 26, and will allow the liquid to How through holes '18 and past head 22 into the syringe.

When the desired amount has been withdrawn and movement of the plunger stops, resilientmember 26 restores valve 22 to the position shown in Fig. .3, .thus cutting off the flow of liquid. This will happen even though the tip 34 be removed while the ampoule is still inverted, and only the small'amount of liquid in the hole 14 would be lost.

Now, by turning the metal band 38 .and the stopper on the neck-4, fromthe position shownin Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, the member 28 will be shifted from seat 32 to seat 39, which results in pushing itinwardlylothe position shown in Fig. 5 in which it "closes the hole'14 and thus seals the ampoule hermetically.

While I have described one'embodiment of my'invention, I wish it to be understood that I do "not intendto limit myself thereby except Within the scope of 'theclaims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. A stopper for containers comprising a body of elastic material having a passage therethrough, the'upper end portion of said passage being normally open, means to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, and valve means in the lower end of said passage normally closing such lower end and movable by suction in the upper end to open position.

. 2. A stopper for containers comprising a .body of elastic material having a passage therethrough, the upper end portion of said passage being normally open, means to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, valve means in the lower end of said passage norpart of less cross-section than the upper portion, the

upper face of said part forming a valve seat, and a valve mounted in said passage above said valve seat adapted to seat thereon and of less cross-section than the part of the passage above the valve seat, said valve being movable by suction in the upper end to open position.

4. In a stopper as claimed in claim 3, means resiliently urging said valve against said seat.

5. In a stopper as claimed in claim 4, said deforming means including a rigid member embedded in the stopper and extending beyond one side Wall thereof.

6. A stopper for containers comprising a body of elastic material having a hole therethrough, a rigid tube arranged in the lower part of said hole terminating short of the upper end of the hole, the upper end portion of the hole being normally open, means to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, and a valve in said upper end portion adapted to rest on the upper end of the tube and being of less cross-section than the hole, said valve being movable by suction in the upper end to open position.

7. A stopper for containers comprising a body of elastic material having a hole therethrough, a rigid tube arranged in the lower part of said hole terminating short of the upper end of the hole and extending below the lower face of the stopper, the upper end portion of the hole being normally open, means to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, a valve in said upper end portion adapted to rest on the upper end of the tube and being of less cross-section than the hole, a stem connected to said valve extending downward through said tube, and resilient means engaged between said stem and the lower end of the tube normally urging said valve to closed position against the upper end of the tube, said valve being movable by suction in the upper end to open Position. "i

8. In a stopper as claimed in claim 7, a washer of rigid material embedded in the body of the stopper, the upper end of the tube being embedded in said washer.

9. In a stopper as claimed in claim 7, said deforming means including a rigid member embedded in the stopper and extending beyond one side Wall thereof.

10. In a stopper as claimed in claim 1, said deforming means including a rigid member embedded in the stopper and extending beyond one side wall thereof.

11. In combination with a container having a neck. a stopper in said neck, said stopper comprising a body of elastic material having a passage therethrough, the upper end portion of said passage being normally open, means operatively associated with said neck and embedded in said body to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, and valve means in the lower end of said passage normally closing such lower end and movable by suction in the upper end to open position.

12. In combination with a container having a neck, a

. stopper in said neck, said stopper comprising a body of elastic material having a passage therethrough, the upper end portion of said passage being normally open, means operatively associated with said neck and embedded in said body to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, valve means in the lower end of said passage normally closing such lower end and movable by suction in the upper end to open position, and resilient means urging said valve means to closed position.

13. In combination with a container having a neck, a stopper in said neck, said stopper comprising a body of elastic material having a passage therethrough, the upper end portion of said passage being normally open, means operatively associated with said neck and embedded in said body to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, the lower portion of said passage including a part of less cross-section than the upper portion, the upper face of said part forming a valve seat, and a valve mounted in said passage above said valve seat adapted to seat thereon and of less cross-section than the part of the passage above the valve seat, said valve being movable by suction in the upper end to open position.

14. In combination, with a container having a neck, a stopper in said neck, said stopper comprising a body of elastic material having a hole therethrough, a rigid tube arranged in the lower part of said hole terminating short of the upper end of the hole, the upper end portion of the hole being normally open, means operatively asso ciated with said neck and embedded in said body to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, and a valve in said upper end portion adapted to rest on the upper end of the tube and being of less crosssection than the hole, said valve being movable by suction in the upper end to open position.

15. In combination with a container havinga neck, a stopper in said neck, said stopper comprising a body of elastic material having a hole therethrough, a rigid tube arranged in the lower part of said hole terminating short of the upper end of the hole and extending below the lower face of the stopper, the upper end portion of the hole being normally open, means operatively associated with said neck and embedded in said body to deform the body so as to close said normally open portion, a valve in said upper end portion adapted to rest on the upper end of the tube and being of less cross-section than the hole, a stern connected to said valve extending downward through said tube, and resilient means engaged between said stem and the lower end of the tube normally urging said valve to closed positionagainst the upper end of the tube, said valve being movable by suction in the upper end to .open position.

16. In a device as claimed in claim 15, said deforming means including a rigid member embedded in the stopper and extending beyond one side wall thereof, said neck having a cam surface on its inner wall engageable with said member to displace it inwardly.

17. In a device as claimed in claim 13, said deforming means including a rigid member embedded in the stopper and extending beyond one side wall thereof, said neck having a cam surface on its inner wall engageable with said member to displace it inwardly.

18. In a device as claimed in claim 11, said deforming means including a rigid member embedded in the stopper and extending beyond one side wall thereof, said neck having a cam surface on its inner wall engageable with said member to displace it inwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,247,497 Brown Nov. 2 0, 1917 1,892,988 Knapp Ian.- 3, 1933 2,115,035 Morgan Apr. 26, 1938 2,392,602 Luger Jan. 8, 1946 2,411,216 Leutz Nov. 19, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,755 Great Britain of ,1895 365,984 Great Britain Jan. 28,193.. 973,069 France Sept. 6, 1950 

